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<h1>CSS Technique</h1>
		<p><small>Used <a href=http://css-tricks.com/examples/FadeOutBottom/>Fade Out Bottom</a></small></p>	
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<h2>After the Dance </h1>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
Eliza was on her way home from the dance. Past the gas lights which were being
extinguished by the gas lighter. Up High St where cable trams waited for the cable to start up
in the morning. She knew this street very well. Every Saturday night she went to the dance,
met her friends and her beau Arthur, and always came home by midnight. Her feet would
barely touch the footpath. But tonight when Eliza looked at her watch, she saw it was one
o’clock. Her steps became heavier. She had dallied with Arthur too long after the dance, it
had felt like just a moment. She thought about the trouble she would be in.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
From the zenith the full moon illuminated her destination, the Northcote fire station.
For all her eighteen years she had lived in the station. Her father, Frank, was the fire chief
and he kept everything in top order, from the polished brass to the groomed Clydesdale which
pulled the fire cart. The station ran like clockwork and Eliza was comfortable with her
ordered life.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
As she neared the station, she said to herself, “I wonder if Dad is waiting for me, he
always waits out by the side gate for me to return, in his uniform.” But she couldn’t see him
tonight. A light shone from the station window. “He’s probably waiting inside.” Eliza
plodded along the street, trying to slow time down.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
Frank had a strong round chin and smiling eyes. The English accent he brought with
him from the Isle of Wight hadn’t waned and he expressed his happiness by singing English
songs. One of his favourites was ‘Sons of the Sea’. When not in the watch room or
inspecting the officers and equipment, he tended to his garden of vegetables and flowers.
The locals were just as proud of the fire station as Frank and Eliza, and her mother and
brother too. It was the Clydesdale that attracted most interest, the way he responded to the
fire bell by coming out of his stall, getting into the shafts and standing while the harness was
lowered onto him. When the doors opened, he was like Hercules pulling the cart to the fire.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
There were fire alarms placed around the district which were connected to the fire
station. A job Eliza enjoyed was walking around Northcote with her father to inspect the
alarms.
“Let’s go up this street Dad,” said Eliza, “you’ll hear that lady playing the piano.”
“Oh yes, she is very good.” When they neared the house, Frank waited and listened
to the music. Eliza wasn’t sure if he knew this was Arthur’s sister playing, or if he noticed
Arthur peeping through the curtains.
“Come along dear, there’s more alarms to check, and we must be back in time for
Mother’s cooking.”
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
The moon shone down on Eliza, even the man in the moon looked stern that night.
She thought about her father getting angry with her. It was rare for him to become heated.
False alarms were the only thing she had seen anger him. When an alarm was set off, the bell
rang and the horse and men started to prepare. Frank would be in the watch room seeing
which alarm had been activated. He opened the doors and the team went out. When they
arrived and there was no fire it would become clear some practical joker had set it off. The
team came back with Frank still wild.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
“I’ll strangle the culprit when I catch him. Interfering with our work, what if there
was a real fire now? He’ll be strung up for the damage he’s caused. I’ll catch him one day
and he’ll plead to be strung up.” Eliza, her mother and little brother usually stayed upstairs in
the house when there was a false alarm.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
Eliza muttered, “He’s still not waiting outside.” But she imagined his ‘false-alarm’
face pointing at her and she started shaking. He was always outside waiting for her, since he
was usually on duty on the weekend. He was probably seething already, thinking about a
punishment.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
“Perhaps he will ground me. Maybe the dances will be banned. I couldn’t bear that.
The dance is the highlight of the week. I love talking with my girlfriends about what they
would wear and who they want to dance with.” She thought about her Mum always helping
her with her dress and doing her hair. And Dad always saw her off saying, “You’re looking
very beautiful as usual, dear.”
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
The boys sparkled in their black ties and polished shoes. Of course, she mainly
danced with Arthur. He was so romantic, bringing her posies and writing her love letters.
Although one had been a little disappointing, he had just written ‘I love you’ many times.
She already knew that, she wanted to read more. At the end of the dance there was always
Auld Lang Syne signaling that it was almost midnight and all were expected to go straight
home. And every night she did. Except this night when Arthur seemed to make time stand
still.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
“He couldn’t ban the dance. Maybe tennis on Saturday would go.” Eliza played
every Saturday in the summer with her friends. The courts were near the station on the edge
of the paddocks that surrounded Northcote. It wasn’t a very even court, but wayward
bounces only increased their fun. By the end of summer the court was very brown. And a lot
of the fires Frank attended were grass burning in the paddocks. She would hate to have no
tennis.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
When it was hot Eliza and her friends would go down to the river and hire a row boat.
They would take a picnic and the boys would do the rowing. The girls made them row a long
way, it must have worn them out, but the boys’ faces were all smiles, they had their girls with
them. She would miss the rowing if her father chose this to ban.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
The worst would be not seeing Arthur. She didn’t know if her parents approved of
him, but he came from a good family, his father was a real estate agent and they lived in a big
house. And they had a car. Not many people had cars but Arthur said one day most people
would have one. And he thought the Clydesdale would be replaced by an engine soon
enough. He could fix anything and wanted to be a motor mechanic. She also got on very
well with his four sisters. “I hope I haven’t spoilt everything,” she cried.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
Her fate was close now. She looked around in case her father was nearby. He wasn’t,
so she went through the gate. In the backyard the light from the station lit up her white dress.
Trembling, Eliza stepped through the door into the bright light. Near the stable she saw her
father standing, still in his uniform and cap on his head. He had a dower look on his face and
he had his head bowed a little. Her heart was thumping and her legs were like jelly.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
When he noticed Eliza, his expression instantly changed. “Eliza dear! Good dance
tonight?” he beamed at her. “Come and look at what I have here.” Eliza ventured over.
There was a lad tied up in the stable. “Every Saturday night I’ve been snooping around
outside hoping to catch the culprit making these false alarms. And tonight I caught him!”
Frank gave him a kick and the lad looked up in fright. He was skinny and all legs and arms.
His clothes were disheveled. The stable would be his bedroom until the police came
tomorrow.
</p>

<p>
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 
Frank tuned away from the lad and said with a smile. “This calls for a celebration,
dear. Let us go upstairs and have a cup of your Mother’s best tea.”
</p>
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